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Cupcake Bakery Mystery #10
Wedding Cake Crumble
Wedding bells and death knells are ringing for the Fairy Tale Cupcake crew in this latest mystery in the New York Times bestselling series
With Angie and Tate's wedding just around the corner, it's a happy--but very busy--time for Mel. Not only is she doing double duty as both the maid of honor and best man, but her bakery, Fairy Tale Cupcakes, has just been hired to provide cupcakes for a famous author's book signing. But when the author turns up dead, it's just the start of a murder mystery that Mel must solve.
With Angie and Tate's wedding just around the corner, it's a happy--but very busy--time for Mel. Not only is she doing double duty as both the maid of honor and best man, but her bakery, Fairy Tale Cupcakes, has just been hired to provide cupcakes for a famous author's book signing. But when the author turns up dead, it's just the start of a murder mystery that Mel must solve.
278 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 3, 2018
381 people are currently reading
1713 people want to read
About the author
Jenn McKinlay
70 books5,249 followersJenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
January 10, 2025
Wedding Cake Crumble is the 10th book in the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries written by Jenn McKinlay, and the best so far. I loved the parallels between a book release and Angie and Tate's wedding, specifically how so many murders occurred and were connected between the two story lines. My only concern was the killer reveal came slightly out of left field, but sometimes those are the best kind of shockers. Loving the series, only a few more to catch up. Can't wait.
April 28, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Angie and Tate and Fairy Tale Cupcakes is busy baking cupcakes for an author’s book signing. They just need to stay clear of any dead bodies until after the wedding. Yeah, right, this is Mel and Angie we are talking about. The book signing is for an author that has written a thinly veiled novel about a neighborhood much like her own and filled it with truth and gossip, not trying to really hide the people’s identities with very telling nicknames. Shortly after her big event, she found dead and Mel thinks it may be connected to some other murders. Can she solve the case before Angie’s trip down the aisle? Or will everything crumble down around them?
This was such a sweet read. Mel, Angie and the Fairy Tale Bakery gang are some of my favorite cozy characters. This being book ten, I truly feel like I am visiting old friends and excited to attend this long-awaited wedding. Mel, Angie, and Tate have been through so much. I was so happy to see this wedding take place. Hopefully, Dear Joe and Mel’s will follow soon.
I really enjoyed the way each character was utilized throughout the story. In addition to creating the cupcakes for the wedding, Oz was having some personal problems. Marty has personal issues on his mind too. Uncle Stan seemed preoccupied and even Mel’s mom has a secret. Each of these characters has their own little subplot. I loved it!
While the story does feature a lot about the wedding Jenn McKinlay doesn’t hold back on the murder/s mystery. The bodies start to pile up early and a clever twist turns the everyone’s thinking around, but finding the real motive takes a bit of sleuthing. The suspect pool changed and it was overflowing of suspects. Another epic twist gets to the heart of the issue and everything falls nicely into place. What a fantastic journey to a very satisfying ending.
This series debuted in 2010 and I have loved all of them. Sprinkle With Murder, the first book in the series, was one of the 1st books featured on my original Dollycas’s Thoughts blog. I hope this series continues for at least 10 more! I do recommend starting at the beginning to get maximum enjoyment of the characters and their growth, but you can jump in anywhere along the way. You can’t go wrong with a Jenn McKinlay novel.
Be sure to check out the recipes in the back of the book too.
Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Angie and Tate and Fairy Tale Cupcakes is busy baking cupcakes for an author’s book signing. They just need to stay clear of any dead bodies until after the wedding. Yeah, right, this is Mel and Angie we are talking about. The book signing is for an author that has written a thinly veiled novel about a neighborhood much like her own and filled it with truth and gossip, not trying to really hide the people’s identities with very telling nicknames. Shortly after her big event, she found dead and Mel thinks it may be connected to some other murders. Can she solve the case before Angie’s trip down the aisle? Or will everything crumble down around them?
This was such a sweet read. Mel, Angie and the Fairy Tale Bakery gang are some of my favorite cozy characters. This being book ten, I truly feel like I am visiting old friends and excited to attend this long-awaited wedding. Mel, Angie, and Tate have been through so much. I was so happy to see this wedding take place. Hopefully, Dear Joe and Mel’s will follow soon.
I really enjoyed the way each character was utilized throughout the story. In addition to creating the cupcakes for the wedding, Oz was having some personal problems. Marty has personal issues on his mind too. Uncle Stan seemed preoccupied and even Mel’s mom has a secret. Each of these characters has their own little subplot. I loved it!
While the story does feature a lot about the wedding Jenn McKinlay doesn’t hold back on the murder/s mystery. The bodies start to pile up early and a clever twist turns the everyone’s thinking around, but finding the real motive takes a bit of sleuthing. The suspect pool changed and it was overflowing of suspects. Another epic twist gets to the heart of the issue and everything falls nicely into place. What a fantastic journey to a very satisfying ending.
This series debuted in 2010 and I have loved all of them. Sprinkle With Murder, the first book in the series, was one of the 1st books featured on my original Dollycas’s Thoughts blog. I hope this series continues for at least 10 more! I do recommend starting at the beginning to get maximum enjoyment of the characters and their growth, but you can jump in anywhere along the way. You can’t go wrong with a Jenn McKinlay novel.
Be sure to check out the recipes in the back of the book too.
April 11, 2018
Wedding Cake Crumble by Jenn McKinlay is the second wedding themed cozy I read this week. Normally I shy away from Wedding cozies but this was a really good read. I am starting to think Wedding Cozies are pretty cool. It helps when you have such outstanding characters and a fun and complicated coincidence, murders with twists and a whole lot of cupcakes. I was delighted with this mystery and some Kick butt characters! This one is out now and is one to pick up and binge read for sure!
October 4, 2018
I really enjoy this series!😊 I think this book is a wonderful addition! However, it was predictable, so I only gave it four stars. Also, this book is well into the series, so I would advise anyone thinking about reading this book to start from the beginning to get to know the characters. (There are a lot of likeable and humorous characters.)
April 16, 2018
Ten books already? In a way, it feels like I just started reading this delicious series. Yet, in another way, I feel like I have been friends with these characters for decades. There’s even a new character that I feel I’ve known my whole life. All I know is this, it’s my extreme wish that I get to spend at least ten more books enjoying the Fairy Tale Cupcakes gang!
As with all the books in the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries, WEDDING CAKE CRUMBLE drew me in on page one and held me captive until the very end. I didn’t close the book until I had finished the story, and the great recipes included afterwards.
With the time clicking down toward their nuptials, wedding excitement for Angie and Tate can be tasted on every page. But, as a killer mystery will do, that sweet taste is interrupted with murder. Then, author Jenn McKinlay treats us to another murder, because like a cupcake, you can’t have just one. So, wedding plans and investigations intertwine making for a hectic time for our cast of characters, but a thrilling time for readers as the story amps up on every chapter, until it’s final, surprising reveal, and its conclusion.
Oh wait! I totally forgot to mention if Angie and Tate finally take their vows. Well . . . you’ll just have to read WEDDING CAKE CRUMBLE and find out for yourself!
As with all the books in the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries, WEDDING CAKE CRUMBLE drew me in on page one and held me captive until the very end. I didn’t close the book until I had finished the story, and the great recipes included afterwards.
With the time clicking down toward their nuptials, wedding excitement for Angie and Tate can be tasted on every page. But, as a killer mystery will do, that sweet taste is interrupted with murder. Then, author Jenn McKinlay treats us to another murder, because like a cupcake, you can’t have just one. So, wedding plans and investigations intertwine making for a hectic time for our cast of characters, but a thrilling time for readers as the story amps up on every chapter, until it’s final, surprising reveal, and its conclusion.
Oh wait! I totally forgot to mention if Angie and Tate finally take their vows. Well . . . you’ll just have to read WEDDING CAKE CRUMBLE and find out for yourself!
April 5, 2018
It is one week until Angie and Tate’s wedding, and Mel, as maid of honor, has joined Angie in running errands to various venders to make payments. A stop at the photographer turns up a nasty surprise – his dead body in his office. Mel’s Uncle Stan, a homicide detective, quickly makes a connection to another murder, that of Angie and Tate’s limo driver. Is someone out to sabotage the wedding? Will any of them be the next target?
This book is a pure delight for fans. The wedding does take over a bit in the second half, but I didn’t mind in the slightest. We’ve been waiting a lot of books for this moment. And that’s not to say we don’t get a good mystery with some interesting twists. The new characters are good, but the series regulars shine with their own sub-plots. This book also has some great laughs.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This book is a pure delight for fans. The wedding does take over a bit in the second half, but I didn’t mind in the slightest. We’ve been waiting a lot of books for this moment. And that’s not to say we don’t get a good mystery with some interesting twists. The new characters are good, but the series regulars shine with their own sub-plots. This book also has some great laughs.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 19, 2019
Well, I am finally caught up after binge reading this series. I am happy to say that I am glad I finally bumped this one up to the top of the TBR pile. It is a wonderful series that has well written characters. This book is no exception. I love the friendship between Mel, Angie and Tate and all of their interactions. They are at a cross roads with their lives and friendship changing and evolving so it will be interested to see where the author takes the characters in the future. Reading the story line involving Angie and Tate's wedding has me looking forward to Joe and Mel's. There are also some other little surprises that I enjoyed.
I am looking forward to the next book, but a little sad that I can't just pick it up to read it now.
I am looking forward to the next book, but a little sad that I can't just pick it up to read it now.
August 16, 2018
Angie and Tate are almost ready to tie the knot. What could go wrong? You guessed it - Mel finds another dead body. A tell-it-like-it-was author exposed all the dirty secrets in her former neighborhood, and while her book was a riveting success, she didn’t live long enough to enjoy it. There is a lot of tension in this cozy, and it seems like both Mel and Angie have had a lot a difficulties getting to that final step in their respective relationships. The author does a very good job of balancing suspense with romance and keeping it entertaining. The growth in the characters’ lives keeps the series fresh and adds to the enjoyment.
April 4, 2018
Trigger Warning: Do NOT under any circumstances read this book while hungry! You will be made miserable by the descriptions of tasty cupcake flavors and frosting combinations! There are some recipes at the end, but that's not enough to help. So I'm begging you, eat first, then read. Trust me on this.
Mel Cooper, Angie DeLaura, and Tate Harper are partners in their franchised cupcake bakery business, Fairy Tale Cupcakes. And now Angie and Tate are going to be partners in life too. With their wedding only one week away, Angle is going around town to her vendors to make sure the bills are paid and everything is set for the big day. Angie and Mel start with the florist, making sure that the flowers are all set. Their next stop doesn't go so smoothly though.
Blaise Ione is a longtime friend of Tate's, and after a short stint in New York, the hipster photographer is back in Scottsdale, Arizona, and his business is booming. But when Angie and Mel stop by to make sure everything is ready for the wedding photography, they discover that Blaise has been murdered, strangled by his camera strap.
Mel calls her Uncle Stan, a local homicide detective, and he comes immediately to start investigating. The women think it's probably just a coincidence (a very sad one, to have lost a friend like that), and the women go back to the bakery. But Angie wants to keep making payments, making sure everything else is falling into place for the wedding. And that's when she finds out that her limousine driver has also been killed, bludgeoned with a tire iron. Could it be a coincidence, or is someone targeting Angie and Tate and their wedding day?
So when bookseller Cassie Leighton calls the bakery, begging for last-minute help with a book-signing, Angie says they'll take the job. Baking and decorating 500 cupcakes for the next day will help take her mind off of everything else that's happening. It's not until the women show up to the book-signing with their fabulous champagne cupcakes that they find out that Blaise was supposed to be there to take photographs. They'd hired the same limo driver that Angie had for the wedding. And the baker that Cassie had originally booked for the signing was also killed, a gas leak in her kitchen.
Mel and Angie start to wonder if it's actually the author, Elise Penworthy, who could be at the middle of all the murders. After her husband left her for a much younger woman, she wrote a scathing tell-all about her former friends and neighbors from an exclusive neighborhood in Scottsdale, and her memoir has made a long list of enemies. Their theory is confirmed when they find Elise with her pen sticking out of her back. Angie's brother is able to keep her alive until the paramedics show up, but it will take a lot of sleuthing to figure out who's behind all the killings. Will the bakers figure it out in time, or will more people have to die at the hands of one bitter soul?
Jenn McKinlay is back with her tenth (!) in her Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. Wedding Cake Crumble is yet another well written, smart, funny, fabulous cozy that feature complex characters and delicious baked goods. Includes recipes for Bourbon Cupcakes, Champagne Cupcakes, Black Forest Cupcakes, and Lemon Cupcakes with Lavender Frosting. Sadly, the actual cupcakes are not included. But even with that, I still recommend this book. Even better, I recommend reading it with cupcakes nearby.
Galleys for Wedding Cake Crumble were provided by Berkley through Penguin's First To Read program, with many thanks.
Mel Cooper, Angie DeLaura, and Tate Harper are partners in their franchised cupcake bakery business, Fairy Tale Cupcakes. And now Angie and Tate are going to be partners in life too. With their wedding only one week away, Angle is going around town to her vendors to make sure the bills are paid and everything is set for the big day. Angie and Mel start with the florist, making sure that the flowers are all set. Their next stop doesn't go so smoothly though.
Blaise Ione is a longtime friend of Tate's, and after a short stint in New York, the hipster photographer is back in Scottsdale, Arizona, and his business is booming. But when Angie and Mel stop by to make sure everything is ready for the wedding photography, they discover that Blaise has been murdered, strangled by his camera strap.
Mel calls her Uncle Stan, a local homicide detective, and he comes immediately to start investigating. The women think it's probably just a coincidence (a very sad one, to have lost a friend like that), and the women go back to the bakery. But Angie wants to keep making payments, making sure everything else is falling into place for the wedding. And that's when she finds out that her limousine driver has also been killed, bludgeoned with a tire iron. Could it be a coincidence, or is someone targeting Angie and Tate and their wedding day?
So when bookseller Cassie Leighton calls the bakery, begging for last-minute help with a book-signing, Angie says they'll take the job. Baking and decorating 500 cupcakes for the next day will help take her mind off of everything else that's happening. It's not until the women show up to the book-signing with their fabulous champagne cupcakes that they find out that Blaise was supposed to be there to take photographs. They'd hired the same limo driver that Angie had for the wedding. And the baker that Cassie had originally booked for the signing was also killed, a gas leak in her kitchen.
Mel and Angie start to wonder if it's actually the author, Elise Penworthy, who could be at the middle of all the murders. After her husband left her for a much younger woman, she wrote a scathing tell-all about her former friends and neighbors from an exclusive neighborhood in Scottsdale, and her memoir has made a long list of enemies. Their theory is confirmed when they find Elise with her pen sticking out of her back. Angie's brother is able to keep her alive until the paramedics show up, but it will take a lot of sleuthing to figure out who's behind all the killings. Will the bakers figure it out in time, or will more people have to die at the hands of one bitter soul?
Jenn McKinlay is back with her tenth (!) in her Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. Wedding Cake Crumble is yet another well written, smart, funny, fabulous cozy that feature complex characters and delicious baked goods. Includes recipes for Bourbon Cupcakes, Champagne Cupcakes, Black Forest Cupcakes, and Lemon Cupcakes with Lavender Frosting. Sadly, the actual cupcakes are not included. But even with that, I still recommend this book. Even better, I recommend reading it with cupcakes nearby.
Galleys for Wedding Cake Crumble were provided by Berkley through Penguin's First To Read program, with many thanks.
December 2, 2019
What an outstanding book in an amazing series! A must read for all cozy fans
April 6, 2018
This is the tenth book in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery, but the first one I read. I still really enjoyed the book and hope to read the previous books in the series in the future. I did not have a problem following the story, I just missed some of the background that does not affect the enjoyment of the story. This was a wonderful cozy mystery with a charming cast of characters and a mystery that kept me engaged.
For Melanie Cooper and the employees of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, co-owner Angie DeLaura's wedding is the single most important event they have coming up. A week before the wedding, as Angie heads off to pay and finalize the people she has hired for the wedding, several turn up dead, actually murdered. When Angie and Mel take on a last minute catering job for an author event, they meet Elise, an author that has penned a hair-raising tell-all about her former husband, new wife and the neighborhood where she used to live. Shortly after the event, the author ends up dead and Mel's friend, Carrie, is arrested for the murder. Mel realizes that all the murders are connected and that Carrie would not have killed anyone, so she tries to get the police, especially her Uncle Stan, to listen to her theories and let Carrie go.
Mel is the character at the front and center of everything that goes on in the story. Mel is someone who is willing to go to great lengths to help her friends. I admired how much she cared about those close to her and I liked her need to find the truth about what is going on. There is also romance with Angie's and Tate's wedding as well as Mel's and Joe's relationship. There is a side story with some of the other Bakery workers involving romance, money, and greedy family members that is also entertaining. The animals in the story, Captain Jack the cat and Peanut the dog, did not play a huge part, but it was a nice, fun interlude to solving the mystery. The mystery of the deaths and how they're all connected was an interesting one. I didm't guess who the culprit was until just before the reveal and that always makes for a good mystery in my books. The reveal was well done and the motive made sense. The writing was smooth and flowed very well. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them very much. If you are a cozy mystery lover, especially where food and recipes are included, you will love this book. I received a copy of this book from the First to Read program. The opinions in this review are my own.
For Melanie Cooper and the employees of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, co-owner Angie DeLaura's wedding is the single most important event they have coming up. A week before the wedding, as Angie heads off to pay and finalize the people she has hired for the wedding, several turn up dead, actually murdered. When Angie and Mel take on a last minute catering job for an author event, they meet Elise, an author that has penned a hair-raising tell-all about her former husband, new wife and the neighborhood where she used to live. Shortly after the event, the author ends up dead and Mel's friend, Carrie, is arrested for the murder. Mel realizes that all the murders are connected and that Carrie would not have killed anyone, so she tries to get the police, especially her Uncle Stan, to listen to her theories and let Carrie go.
Mel is the character at the front and center of everything that goes on in the story. Mel is someone who is willing to go to great lengths to help her friends. I admired how much she cared about those close to her and I liked her need to find the truth about what is going on. There is also romance with Angie's and Tate's wedding as well as Mel's and Joe's relationship. There is a side story with some of the other Bakery workers involving romance, money, and greedy family members that is also entertaining. The animals in the story, Captain Jack the cat and Peanut the dog, did not play a huge part, but it was a nice, fun interlude to solving the mystery. The mystery of the deaths and how they're all connected was an interesting one. I didm't guess who the culprit was until just before the reveal and that always makes for a good mystery in my books. The reveal was well done and the motive made sense. The writing was smooth and flowed very well. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them very much. If you are a cozy mystery lover, especially where food and recipes are included, you will love this book. I received a copy of this book from the First to Read program. The opinions in this review are my own.
April 3, 2018
I can’t believe that there are already ten books in this series already! In WEDDING CAKE CRUMBLE, Angie and Tate’s wedding is just around the corner. This means that Mel has her hands full. In addition to being the maid of honor AND the best man, she has also been hired to make cupcakes for a big author book signing. All seems to be good until murder occurs, leaving Mel wondering if she’s been cursed. She has encountered too many dead ends and dead bodies and now she wonders if a happily ever after will ever be in reach.
If you haven’t read this series, I would probably say that it’s best to read the other books in the series first. The wedding in this book certainly won’t hold the same impact if you don’t know Angie or Tate well. But this is a huge deal for the both of them as they tie the knot.
In terms of the mystery, however, I don’t see how anyone would have a problem with getting on board with this one. It’s fun and exciting, especially with McKinlay’s lighter tone in this series. So if you prefer less dramatics and gory details in your mysteries, I think this is a good one to try!
February 13, 2024
This was the first book of the series I read and it was so good I blew through the other books in the series. When I got back to this one, I just had to re-read it. It was still fresh and new to me. I think this has to be one of my all time favorite series. It introduced me to cozy mysteries.
April 3, 2018
Wedding Cake Crumble is the tenth book in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series in this very enjoyable series
Angie’s wedding day is just a few days away and they are busy scurrying around making sure everyone is on the same page. Their first stop is to check with the photographer, Blaise Iones. Unfortunately, they find him sitting at his desk having been strangled by someone using his camera’s strap. They head back to the bakery after having been interviewed by Mel’s Uncle Stan. When they return to the bakery, Angie gives the limo service a call and finds out that the driver that was hired has been bludgeoned to death with a tire iron. Quite naturally they are thinking that someone is out to ruin the wedding, at the very least, or someone is out to make sure there is no wedding.
Mel returns an urgent phone call from Cassie Leighton, owner of A Likely Story a small independent bookstore and indie press. Leighton needs 500 cupcakes for a book signing the next evening. The signing is for Elise Penworthy’s new book Palms, which Leighton is also publishing. Angie insists that they take the job, as it will take her mind off the terrible things that have taken place preparing for her wedding.
The next evening at the signing many of the neighbors of Penrose who are portrayed in the exposing of the neighborhood of Palms show up to express their displeasure with her book. The most vocal is the current wife of Elise’s ex. Earlier that evening Mel learns that Leighton had hired the same limo driver and photographer as Angie. When Penworthy leaves, Mel goes in search for her as she thinks that Penworthy was the one who the attacks might have been directed at and he life might be in danger. Mel goes to the bar to look for Penworthy and finds her at a table in a dark corner stabbed with the pen she used at the signing and dies a short time later.
Mel and Angie will have to sort through the many suspects to find the killer before Angie’s wedding day to make sure that she was she wasn’t the intended victim.
Another well-plotted and written story from Jenn McKinlay. Most all of the interesting and believable characters are back to help protect Mel and Angie and to help find the killer.
Delicious sounding recipes are also included with the book.
I will definitely be watching for the next book in this interesting series.
Angie’s wedding day is just a few days away and they are busy scurrying around making sure everyone is on the same page. Their first stop is to check with the photographer, Blaise Iones. Unfortunately, they find him sitting at his desk having been strangled by someone using his camera’s strap. They head back to the bakery after having been interviewed by Mel’s Uncle Stan. When they return to the bakery, Angie gives the limo service a call and finds out that the driver that was hired has been bludgeoned to death with a tire iron. Quite naturally they are thinking that someone is out to ruin the wedding, at the very least, or someone is out to make sure there is no wedding.
Mel returns an urgent phone call from Cassie Leighton, owner of A Likely Story a small independent bookstore and indie press. Leighton needs 500 cupcakes for a book signing the next evening. The signing is for Elise Penworthy’s new book Palms, which Leighton is also publishing. Angie insists that they take the job, as it will take her mind off the terrible things that have taken place preparing for her wedding.
The next evening at the signing many of the neighbors of Penrose who are portrayed in the exposing of the neighborhood of Palms show up to express their displeasure with her book. The most vocal is the current wife of Elise’s ex. Earlier that evening Mel learns that Leighton had hired the same limo driver and photographer as Angie. When Penworthy leaves, Mel goes in search for her as she thinks that Penworthy was the one who the attacks might have been directed at and he life might be in danger. Mel goes to the bar to look for Penworthy and finds her at a table in a dark corner stabbed with the pen she used at the signing and dies a short time later.
Mel and Angie will have to sort through the many suspects to find the killer before Angie’s wedding day to make sure that she was she wasn’t the intended victim.
Another well-plotted and written story from Jenn McKinlay. Most all of the interesting and believable characters are back to help protect Mel and Angie and to help find the killer.
Delicious sounding recipes are also included with the book.
I will definitely be watching for the next book in this interesting series.
April 9, 2018
In this next book of the series Angie and Tate's wedding is on the horizon and there is much excitement in the air. While running wedding related errands Angie and Mel inadvertently find the body of the wedding photographer and Tate's good friend murdered with his own camera. Who would have killed such a great guy and why? When it comes to light that several other vendors have met a bad end Angie worries that it has something to do with her upcoming nuptials. To keep their minds off of things Angie volunteers them to cater a book signing of a local author who has in a sense written a tell all about an affluent area in town. When the author is murdered it looks like all the deaths might be related to her and not to Angie's wedding. The owner of the bookstore and publisher of the book becomes the main suspect, it looks like she has a great deal to gain from the authors death. Mel can't believe that Cassie was in anyway responsible for the death and let's everyone know her feelings on the subject. Follow along as Mel investigates the people from the book, does her maid of honor duties, and runs the cupcake business. With all that's going on will she be able to help clear her friends name. This is such a fabulous series filled with great characters, a wonderful story line, and tasty recipes at the end. I always look forward to each new book and the adventure the author takes us on.
July 30, 2018
Angie and Tate are just days away from their wedding at last! Hooray! Mel is busy keeping Angie from doing a last minute runner, Angie is busy paying the bills and Oz is hard at work on the wedding cake. When the florist doesn’t greet them at the counter, Mel’s senses begin to prickle. Her unease grows after they discover that more than one person connected with the wedding turns up dead. Is it bad karma? Is it one of the former murderers’ revenge? A last minute catering gig for a book signing introduces another possible motive for murder. A former socialite wife from the exclusive Palms development has written a thinly veiled tell-all “novel” about the scandalous doings of her ex-husband, his new wife and their neighbors. That sure sounds like a motive for murder to Mel. When a fellow businesswoman friend of hers is accused of murder, Mel feels it’s her duty to help her friend, but with Angie and Tate’s wedding fast approaching she must stay focused. It can’t hurt to ask a few questions though right? Can Mel save her friend and the wedding at the same time?
Woohooo! Angie and Tate’s wedding at last! This has been so long in coming and it did not disappoint. However, all the wedding preparations took up too much space in the novel and the murder plot was a little more thin than normal. I enjoyed the wedding except for “with this ring” which I’ve never heard at a Catholic wedding. I didn’t like the whole Hollywood housewife plot for the murder mystery but the mystery was complicated enough in the beginning not to know who did it right away. I did figure it out before Mel and I think she would have if she hadn’t been preoccupied by the wedding. There are loads more cupcakes baked in this book than ever before- none I want to make- but bakers will be in heaven with all the new recipes to try. Champagne cupcakes anyone? Mel and Angie really knock themselves out. The subplot about Marty doesn’t really get resolved until the very end and in a typical Marty way. Oz gets a lame melodrama romantic dilemma I didn’t care for.
Mel goes through more character development in this book. She ponders her relationship with Joe and their future together (with some hysterical prompting from her mother). She makes some big decisions but ends the book with the thought “What could happen in 6 months?” AHHH! A lot I’m sure! Angie’s character continues with the same pattern of nerves she was in the last book. What I always liked about Angie is that she’s sweet AND a firecracker. She’s confident about who she is but marrying Tate makes her nervous because of who his parents are. His father is a jerk anyway so who cares? Angie’s family more than makes up for it. Her brothers are a bit overbearing and stereotypical. I really didn’t appreciate the stereotype of Ray looking like he fits in with the Jersey Shore cast. Angie is the most realistic Italian-American among them. Tate is largely a non-entity in this book. I would have liked a bit more between Tate and Mel and Angie. I liked seeing how much he loves Angie but more please! Joe takes on a larger role in this novel. He is so swoony! I didn’t like how Mel sort of likes how protective and safe he makes her feel but she acknowledges that side of her is at war with her modern woman philosophy. He’s the best boyfriend ever and she doesn’t treat him as well as he treats her.
Marty as usual adds some comic relief to the plot. His disguises made me almost laugh out loud. Joyce, Mel’s mother, hovers on the fringe of the narrative uttering “dear Joe” left and right and causing more drama for Mel. I wasn’t surprised by her confession. I figured as much. Uncle Stan is still popping antacids thanks to Mel. He’s a great guy and knows how to balance being a cop and an uncle- most of the time (when Mel isn’t making out with boyfriends). Detective Tara Martinez is so awful. She can’t be professional so I don’t feel like she should be allowed to be on the force. Her interaction with ray is creepy and if I were a cop, I’d slap him in jail overnight for harassment. He’s way too self-assured for his own good.
There are a few new characters here. Blaise, the photographer and Tate’s old friend, seems like he was a great guy. The pictures he took of the engaged couple show his knowledge of them and their feelings for each other. What a tragedy! Cassie, a local bookstore owner, has a bit of a cavalier attitude towards death and is rather selfish. I don’t feel she should have asked Mel to cater her event when she undoubtedly knew Tate and Angie’s wedding was fast approaching. If she didn’t know, then she’s forgiven. The police think she’s a murderer and I wasn’t sure. Elise, the socialite is supremely horrid. She’s narcissistic and really stupid to give all her characters lame nicknames so everyone knows the story is not fiction. Her ex seems decent at first but he has secrets too. Could he be a murderer? Mallory is no prize and I don’t know what he sees in her. She’s going to find herself another Elise if she’s not careful. I strongly suspected her of murder. Peanut is the most adorable pup ever! She needs some discipline and not to be tossed into a house with a cat like it’s no big deal but her pillow antics melted my heart. I wanted to keep her too! Officer Clark is way too overzealous. I understand they need to think about safety but she went above and beyond what was necessary. Her character is rather two-dimensional.
I’m not ready to say goodbye to Fairy Tale Cupcakes so I sure hope there’s at least one more. The cryptic ending leads me to believe there will be. I hope!
Woohooo! Angie and Tate’s wedding at last! This has been so long in coming and it did not disappoint. However, all the wedding preparations took up too much space in the novel and the murder plot was a little more thin than normal. I enjoyed the wedding except for “with this ring” which I’ve never heard at a Catholic wedding. I didn’t like the whole Hollywood housewife plot for the murder mystery but the mystery was complicated enough in the beginning not to know who did it right away. I did figure it out before Mel and I think she would have if she hadn’t been preoccupied by the wedding. There are loads more cupcakes baked in this book than ever before- none I want to make- but bakers will be in heaven with all the new recipes to try. Champagne cupcakes anyone? Mel and Angie really knock themselves out. The subplot about Marty doesn’t really get resolved until the very end and in a typical Marty way. Oz gets a lame melodrama romantic dilemma I didn’t care for.
Mel goes through more character development in this book. She ponders her relationship with Joe and their future together (with some hysterical prompting from her mother). She makes some big decisions but ends the book with the thought “What could happen in 6 months?” AHHH! A lot I’m sure! Angie’s character continues with the same pattern of nerves she was in the last book. What I always liked about Angie is that she’s sweet AND a firecracker. She’s confident about who she is but marrying Tate makes her nervous because of who his parents are. His father is a jerk anyway so who cares? Angie’s family more than makes up for it. Her brothers are a bit overbearing and stereotypical. I really didn’t appreciate the stereotype of Ray looking like he fits in with the Jersey Shore cast. Angie is the most realistic Italian-American among them. Tate is largely a non-entity in this book. I would have liked a bit more between Tate and Mel and Angie. I liked seeing how much he loves Angie but more please! Joe takes on a larger role in this novel. He is so swoony! I didn’t like how Mel sort of likes how protective and safe he makes her feel but she acknowledges that side of her is at war with her modern woman philosophy. He’s the best boyfriend ever and she doesn’t treat him as well as he treats her.
Marty as usual adds some comic relief to the plot. His disguises made me almost laugh out loud. Joyce, Mel’s mother, hovers on the fringe of the narrative uttering “dear Joe” left and right and causing more drama for Mel. I wasn’t surprised by her confession. I figured as much. Uncle Stan is still popping antacids thanks to Mel. He’s a great guy and knows how to balance being a cop and an uncle- most of the time (when Mel isn’t making out with boyfriends). Detective Tara Martinez is so awful. She can’t be professional so I don’t feel like she should be allowed to be on the force. Her interaction with ray is creepy and if I were a cop, I’d slap him in jail overnight for harassment. He’s way too self-assured for his own good.
There are a few new characters here. Blaise, the photographer and Tate’s old friend, seems like he was a great guy. The pictures he took of the engaged couple show his knowledge of them and their feelings for each other. What a tragedy! Cassie, a local bookstore owner, has a bit of a cavalier attitude towards death and is rather selfish. I don’t feel she should have asked Mel to cater her event when she undoubtedly knew Tate and Angie’s wedding was fast approaching. If she didn’t know, then she’s forgiven. The police think she’s a murderer and I wasn’t sure. Elise, the socialite is supremely horrid. She’s narcissistic and really stupid to give all her characters lame nicknames so everyone knows the story is not fiction. Her ex seems decent at first but he has secrets too. Could he be a murderer? Mallory is no prize and I don’t know what he sees in her. She’s going to find herself another Elise if she’s not careful. I strongly suspected her of murder. Peanut is the most adorable pup ever! She needs some discipline and not to be tossed into a house with a cat like it’s no big deal but her pillow antics melted my heart. I wanted to keep her too! Officer Clark is way too overzealous. I understand they need to think about safety but she went above and beyond what was necessary. Her character is rather two-dimensional.
I’m not ready to say goodbye to Fairy Tale Cupcakes so I sure hope there’s at least one more. The cryptic ending leads me to believe there will be. I hope!
April 23, 2018
This was more than a mystery this time, it was a testament to two characters we have come to love. With a mystery woven between the wedding moments and planning it was the perfect spring read! I highly recommend this to be in your spring cozy mystery pile.
July 9, 2020
http://openbooksociety.com/article/we...
Wedding Cake Crumble
Cupcake Bakery Mystery
By Jenn McKinlay
ISBN: 9780399583834
Author’s Website: jennmckinlay(.)com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
With Angie and Tate’s wedding just around the corner, it’s a happy time for Melanie Cooper and the bakery crew. Not only are they finessing the last minute details of the big day, but their bakery, Fairy Tale Cupcakes, has just been hired to bake cupcakes for the blockbuster book signing of a controversial author who wrote a steamy bestseller filled with juicy local gossip.
But one by one, the people Angie has hired to work at the wedding begin turning up dead. As the body count rises, the bestselling author is the next to bite the dust. Mel quickly realizes she needs to figure out how the murders are connected and why–before the killer brings the entire cupcake crew crumbling down. After all, Angie and Tate deserve their sweet happily ever after.
Review:
I have entered the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series at book #10, Wedding Cake Crumble. Have I been missing a delectable series! I must say, now that I have had a sliver of the series, I am more than tempted to devour the whole series, right from book #1. But first… my review of book 10 ☺.
Initially, I was apprehensive that I might find it difficult to enter the series at such a late date. My fears were quickly squelched. The characters quickly felt like I had known them for a long time, even though this is my first exposure to the these characters of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Angie DeLaura and Melanie Cooper (aka Mel) are not just best friends from childhood (they met when they were twelve) but also business partners – co-owners of a bakery named Fairy Tale Cupcakes. With just one week to go until Angie’s wedding, the list of last minute details to get through are many. During one such errand, Angie and Mel discover the photographer (Blaine Ione – good friend of Angie’s fiancé Tate) dead in his studio. You know when you find your wedding photographer dead that no good can come of this. And thus the amateur sleuthing begins. One would think that with a wedding so close, that they would leave it to the police but apparently sleuthing takes Angie’s mind off her pre wedding jitters. To add further complexity – Mel’s Uncle Stan Cooper is a local homicide detective and her fiancé Joe DeLaura is a public prosecutor. So all of this is “in the family”.
Before long though, more murders happen and it begins to look like they are all connected. But what is that connection?
I quite enjoyed the way the sleuthing was laid out and as luck would have it, there were many twists and turns, along with many bodies that muddied the efforts to find the killer(s). I like my cozy mysteries to keep the mystery alive for as long as possible and I am happy to say that it took until the very end (and one specific “ah ha” moment of Mel’s) to figure out the killer(s) identity.
The way that Mel described hugs from the Cooper clan (her dad and Uncle Stan) got to me:
“There was nothing polite about Cooper men’s hugs. They were big, meaty bear hugs that made even a tall girl like Mel feel safe and protected.”
And then, I fell “in-like” with Joe when Mel described the following:
“One of the many reasons Mel had fallen in love with her fiancé, Joe DeLaura, who was also Angie’s older brother, was that he could give the same type of no-reservations-all-in-don’t-worry-I’ve-got-you sort of hug.”
Humor also abounds in this cozy mystery. I loved the scene where Mel is playing tennis (and yup…she actually can’t play tennis but needs to fake it to further her sleuthing):
“One ball whizzed by Mel on the right. Another ball whizzed by her on the left. When the third one came at her dead center, she yelped and hit the ground, putting her racket over her head.”
“There was a snort of laughter from the sidelines and Mel glanced over to see Ray with a fist at his mouth, as if he could force himself to swallow the laughter that was trying to roar up out of him. She wanted to hit him with her racket.”
Eventually (of course), the mystery is solved but I was dismayed by how people treat each other – a sad commentary on human values… and this led to … you guessed it… murder! So not only is this a cozy mystery with romance and humor but also a bit of social commentary thrown in. Oh…and cupcakes!
The cover art is so enticing…making me want to go out and get a cupcake or two ☺.
Now that I have enjoyed book 10 so very much, I will rush out and get book one and read the series from the beginning! I think I have found another favorite cozy author.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Wedding Cake Crumble
Cupcake Bakery Mystery
By Jenn McKinlay
ISBN: 9780399583834
Author’s Website: jennmckinlay(.)com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
With Angie and Tate’s wedding just around the corner, it’s a happy time for Melanie Cooper and the bakery crew. Not only are they finessing the last minute details of the big day, but their bakery, Fairy Tale Cupcakes, has just been hired to bake cupcakes for the blockbuster book signing of a controversial author who wrote a steamy bestseller filled with juicy local gossip.
But one by one, the people Angie has hired to work at the wedding begin turning up dead. As the body count rises, the bestselling author is the next to bite the dust. Mel quickly realizes she needs to figure out how the murders are connected and why–before the killer brings the entire cupcake crew crumbling down. After all, Angie and Tate deserve their sweet happily ever after.
Review:
I have entered the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series at book #10, Wedding Cake Crumble. Have I been missing a delectable series! I must say, now that I have had a sliver of the series, I am more than tempted to devour the whole series, right from book #1. But first… my review of book 10 ☺.
Initially, I was apprehensive that I might find it difficult to enter the series at such a late date. My fears were quickly squelched. The characters quickly felt like I had known them for a long time, even though this is my first exposure to the these characters of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Angie DeLaura and Melanie Cooper (aka Mel) are not just best friends from childhood (they met when they were twelve) but also business partners – co-owners of a bakery named Fairy Tale Cupcakes. With just one week to go until Angie’s wedding, the list of last minute details to get through are many. During one such errand, Angie and Mel discover the photographer (Blaine Ione – good friend of Angie’s fiancé Tate) dead in his studio. You know when you find your wedding photographer dead that no good can come of this. And thus the amateur sleuthing begins. One would think that with a wedding so close, that they would leave it to the police but apparently sleuthing takes Angie’s mind off her pre wedding jitters. To add further complexity – Mel’s Uncle Stan Cooper is a local homicide detective and her fiancé Joe DeLaura is a public prosecutor. So all of this is “in the family”.
Before long though, more murders happen and it begins to look like they are all connected. But what is that connection?
I quite enjoyed the way the sleuthing was laid out and as luck would have it, there were many twists and turns, along with many bodies that muddied the efforts to find the killer(s). I like my cozy mysteries to keep the mystery alive for as long as possible and I am happy to say that it took until the very end (and one specific “ah ha” moment of Mel’s) to figure out the killer(s) identity.
The way that Mel described hugs from the Cooper clan (her dad and Uncle Stan) got to me:
“There was nothing polite about Cooper men’s hugs. They were big, meaty bear hugs that made even a tall girl like Mel feel safe and protected.”
And then, I fell “in-like” with Joe when Mel described the following:
“One of the many reasons Mel had fallen in love with her fiancé, Joe DeLaura, who was also Angie’s older brother, was that he could give the same type of no-reservations-all-in-don’t-worry-I’ve-got-you sort of hug.”
Humor also abounds in this cozy mystery. I loved the scene where Mel is playing tennis (and yup…she actually can’t play tennis but needs to fake it to further her sleuthing):
“One ball whizzed by Mel on the right. Another ball whizzed by her on the left. When the third one came at her dead center, she yelped and hit the ground, putting her racket over her head.”
“There was a snort of laughter from the sidelines and Mel glanced over to see Ray with a fist at his mouth, as if he could force himself to swallow the laughter that was trying to roar up out of him. She wanted to hit him with her racket.”
Eventually (of course), the mystery is solved but I was dismayed by how people treat each other – a sad commentary on human values… and this led to … you guessed it… murder! So not only is this a cozy mystery with romance and humor but also a bit of social commentary thrown in. Oh…and cupcakes!
The cover art is so enticing…making me want to go out and get a cupcake or two ☺.
Now that I have enjoyed book 10 so very much, I will rush out and get book one and read the series from the beginning! I think I have found another favorite cozy author.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
March 18, 2023
Cupcake Bakery Mystery #10 and it was quite an entertaining celebration! The bakery is gearing up for a long awaited wedding. Angie and Tate are ready to tie the knot, but it appears they might be targeted when several of their vendors meet an unfortunate demise.
The mystery part of this book was so good, as expected! I liked the tie in with an author who wrote a tell all book about her crazy neighbors. It was the perfect setup for introducing several vengeful characters. I pegged the culprit upon introduction, but still enjoyed watching it all unfold as the clues and case came together.
What makes the series a fav for me, is the cast. I honestly adore every single character and McKinlay has done a wonderful job with each of their character developments. The movie quotes that Mel, Angie and Tate quiz one another on has always made me smile. The overprotective DeLaura brothers simply make me laugh. I like that Oz and Marty had several scenes throughout the book that focused on their various relationships. Marty is a hoot, especially with his "disguises" in this story. The wedding was perfect and left me grinning at the book as I read through the descriptions of the ceremony. It makes me excited to see Mel and sweet Joe start to plan their own wedding now.
There's a reason I recommend this series to anyone who asks about cozies. Plus the cupcake combos always sound absolutely delicious.
#readforkimberly
The mystery part of this book was so good, as expected! I liked the tie in with an author who wrote a tell all book about her crazy neighbors. It was the perfect setup for introducing several vengeful characters. I pegged the culprit upon introduction, but still enjoyed watching it all unfold as the clues and case came together.
What makes the series a fav for me, is the cast. I honestly adore every single character and McKinlay has done a wonderful job with each of their character developments. The movie quotes that Mel, Angie and Tate quiz one another on has always made me smile. The overprotective DeLaura brothers simply make me laugh. I like that Oz and Marty had several scenes throughout the book that focused on their various relationships. Marty is a hoot, especially with his "disguises" in this story. The wedding was perfect and left me grinning at the book as I read through the descriptions of the ceremony. It makes me excited to see Mel and sweet Joe start to plan their own wedding now.
There's a reason I recommend this series to anyone who asks about cozies. Plus the cupcake combos always sound absolutely delicious.
#readforkimberly
February 28, 2021
One of the many reasons I love this series is because I feel like I know the characters. The author transports us to Fairytale Cupcakes where we get to spend time with Tate, Angie, Mel, Oz and Marty. I also appreciate how it is mentioned after 9 books that Mel is a little nervous anytime someone doesn't answer the door because of her uncanny ability to find dead bodies.
The crew is prepping for Tate and Angie's wedding. Oz is doing the cupcakes and Mel is the maid of honor. When different people associated with the wedding party start dropping like flies, Angie is convinced that the wedding is doomed. The team investigates and finds out that the merchants associated with the wedding were also associated with a recent publication of a tell-all damning book. The author of the book ends up murdered with her own pen! I love some of the new relationship developments that happen in this one.
The crew is prepping for Tate and Angie's wedding. Oz is doing the cupcakes and Mel is the maid of honor. When different people associated with the wedding party start dropping like flies, Angie is convinced that the wedding is doomed. The team investigates and finds out that the merchants associated with the wedding were also associated with a recent publication of a tell-all damning book. The author of the book ends up murdered with her own pen! I love some of the new relationship developments that happen in this one.
April 2, 2018
Wedding Cake Crumble was a wonderful cozy mystery with a charming cast of characters and a mystery that kept me engaged.
For Melanie Cooper and the employees of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, co-owner Angie DeLaura's wedding is the single most important event they have coming up. A week before the wedding, the people Angie hired for the wedding soon start turning up dead. As a means to take their minds off of everything, Mel and Angie take on baking five hundred cupcakes for an author signing for a woman who wrote a scorching tell-all about members in a local town. When the author ends up dead shortly after her signing, Mel and co. must determine how this death is connected to the others and stop the killer once and for all before Angie's wedding is ruined.
Mel is the character at the front and center of everything that goes on in the story. After finding a number of dead bodies over the past few years, Mel is beginning to wonder if bad luck follows her everywhere she goes. She struggles over the fact that bad things always seem to happen around her but she can't help but try to get to the bottom of things each and every time. Mel is someone who is willing to go to the ends of the earth to help her friends. I admired how much she cared about those close to her and I liked her need to find the truth about what is going on.
The mystery of the deaths and how they're all connected was an interesting one. Is someone out to stop Angie and Tate's wedding? Or is there something more nefarious going on? The author did a great job tying everything together and I enjoyed watching Mel investigate while trying to keep the wedding on track. The tell-all written by the author was a nice twist and some of the secrets exposed were quite shocking. I did guess who the culprit was before the end of the book, but that's likely due to the number of mysteries and thrillers I read. Overall I think the reveal was well done and the motive made sense.
The side characters are where this book really shines. As this is the first book in the series I've read, everyone introduced was new to me but I didn't have a hard time figuring everyone out. Mel and Angie's friendship is beautiful and I loved how much they were there for each other. Angie's fiancé Tate was so clearly in love with her and they were so sweet together. Mel's fiancé Joe was an absolute delight and I loved their relationship. Oz and Marty from the bakery were wonderful and I enjoyed their dynamic. Captain Jack and Peanut, the animal members of the crew, were absolutely adorable.
While Wedding Cake Crumble may not have been the best place to start the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series, I still really enjoyed the book and hope to read the previous books in the series in the future. If you're looking to get into cozy mysteries, I would definitely say to check out Jenn McKinlay as she writes some great ones.
**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via the First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.**
For Melanie Cooper and the employees of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, co-owner Angie DeLaura's wedding is the single most important event they have coming up. A week before the wedding, the people Angie hired for the wedding soon start turning up dead. As a means to take their minds off of everything, Mel and Angie take on baking five hundred cupcakes for an author signing for a woman who wrote a scorching tell-all about members in a local town. When the author ends up dead shortly after her signing, Mel and co. must determine how this death is connected to the others and stop the killer once and for all before Angie's wedding is ruined.
Mel is the character at the front and center of everything that goes on in the story. After finding a number of dead bodies over the past few years, Mel is beginning to wonder if bad luck follows her everywhere she goes. She struggles over the fact that bad things always seem to happen around her but she can't help but try to get to the bottom of things each and every time. Mel is someone who is willing to go to the ends of the earth to help her friends. I admired how much she cared about those close to her and I liked her need to find the truth about what is going on.
The mystery of the deaths and how they're all connected was an interesting one. Is someone out to stop Angie and Tate's wedding? Or is there something more nefarious going on? The author did a great job tying everything together and I enjoyed watching Mel investigate while trying to keep the wedding on track. The tell-all written by the author was a nice twist and some of the secrets exposed were quite shocking. I did guess who the culprit was before the end of the book, but that's likely due to the number of mysteries and thrillers I read. Overall I think the reveal was well done and the motive made sense.
The side characters are where this book really shines. As this is the first book in the series I've read, everyone introduced was new to me but I didn't have a hard time figuring everyone out. Mel and Angie's friendship is beautiful and I loved how much they were there for each other. Angie's fiancé Tate was so clearly in love with her and they were so sweet together. Mel's fiancé Joe was an absolute delight and I loved their relationship. Oz and Marty from the bakery were wonderful and I enjoyed their dynamic. Captain Jack and Peanut, the animal members of the crew, were absolutely adorable.
While Wedding Cake Crumble may not have been the best place to start the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series, I still really enjoyed the book and hope to read the previous books in the series in the future. If you're looking to get into cozy mysteries, I would definitely say to check out Jenn McKinlay as she writes some great ones.
**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via the First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.**
July 14, 2021
You know how sometimes a favorite series has some higher points and some lower points? This was a high point. I might even go so far as to say one of the best books so far in the series.
What I liked about Wedding Cake Crumble:
An engaging mystery - I do not think I was bored for so much as a paragraph. This book hit the ground running with a case that was lively and entertaining. I did zero in on a suspect that actually proved correct but seeing the way Ms McKinlay wove the story was still very satisfying. I also appreciated the way it concluded which was a page turner but not exactly the typical cozy mystery method of storytelling.
The wedding - I do love me a good wedding and this one was perfect. The scenes between Angie and Mel got me right in the heart.
Joe and Mel's relationship - They make me swoon. It's almost too much but in the very best way.
Plot development with Joyce - I won't spoil but I will say, at first I wasn't sure but I believe I wholeheartedly love it.
Levity - Tennis pro Anton Argosi. That just made me laugh right out loud. And Peanut. Oh Peanut, you crazy little beast. And Joyce setting off an awkward rumor.
What I didn't care for:
The high drama vibe - I suppose if you're familiar with anything "Real Housewives" this probably read well for you, but it was a little lost on me since I've never seen so much as a single episode.
Some of the peripheral characters - Not our regulars, but seriously, those salon employees kind of creeped me out.
Once I hit the final third of this book, I truly did not want to put it down. I love the chapter-ending cliffhangers. I love the cast of characters. And while the case held my interest, it was really the progression of the series story arc that I couldn't get enough of. I can't wait to see what happens for our cupcake bakers next...especially after the way this one ended!
What I liked about Wedding Cake Crumble:
An engaging mystery - I do not think I was bored for so much as a paragraph. This book hit the ground running with a case that was lively and entertaining. I did zero in on a suspect that actually proved correct but seeing the way Ms McKinlay wove the story was still very satisfying. I also appreciated the way it concluded which was a page turner but not exactly the typical cozy mystery method of storytelling.
The wedding - I do love me a good wedding and this one was perfect. The scenes between Angie and Mel got me right in the heart.
Joe and Mel's relationship - They make me swoon. It's almost too much but in the very best way.
Plot development with Joyce - I won't spoil but I will say, at first I wasn't sure but I believe I wholeheartedly love it.
Levity - Tennis pro Anton Argosi. That just made me laugh right out loud. And Peanut. Oh Peanut, you crazy little beast. And Joyce setting off an awkward rumor.
What I didn't care for:
The high drama vibe - I suppose if you're familiar with anything "Real Housewives" this probably read well for you, but it was a little lost on me since I've never seen so much as a single episode.
Some of the peripheral characters - Not our regulars, but seriously, those salon employees kind of creeped me out.
Once I hit the final third of this book, I truly did not want to put it down. I love the chapter-ending cliffhangers. I love the cast of characters. And while the case held my interest, it was really the progression of the series story arc that I couldn't get enough of. I can't wait to see what happens for our cupcake bakers next...especially after the way this one ended!
April 1, 2018
Wedding Cake Crumble by Jenn McKinlay is the tenth book in A Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. Angie DeLaura is marrying Tate Harper in just one week. Angie and Mel have left Fairy Tale Cupcakes in the capable hands of Oz and Marty while they head out to issue payment to wedding vendors. After visiting the florist, they head to Blaise Ione’s studio, the wedding photographer and old friend of Tate’s. They find Blaise sitting at his desk with a camera strap twisted about his neck. Later that day, they discover that the driver Angie hired was found bludgeoned to death. Is someone trying to sabotage Angie and Tate’s wedding? To keep their minds and hands occupied, they agree to provide five hundred cupcakes for a book signing Cassie Leighton of A Likely Story is hosting the next day. The event is for the release of Elise Penworthy’s The Palms which has many people up in arms. It turns out that Cassie needed a new baker because the one she hired had been murdered. It seems that Cassie had hired the same photographer and driver for Elise that Angie was using for the wedding. Mel and Angie rush off to find Elise, but they are too late. Elise has been stabbed in the back with her own pen (ouch). Cassie ends up arrested. Angie and Mel know she did not kill anyone and set out to find the guilty party. The suspect list for those who disliked Elise is quite lengthy thanks to her book. Can the cupcake ladies find the killer before the wedding march begins?
Wedding Cake Crumble is not a standalone novel. You need to read the other books in the series prior to picking up Wedding Cake Crumble. I thought the book was well-written and had a nice, steady pace. Jenn McKinlay has a writing style that draws the reader in and keeps their attention. The characters are well-developed and relatable. There is a nice mix of personalities and Angie’s brothers will have you in stitches. Marty is a unique character that has issues with his daughters and his girlfriend, Olivia Puckett. I was happy to see him stand up for himself (finally). Oz has come such a long way. From the descriptions provided, the cupcake tower he made for the wedding was beautiful (the color scheme for the wedding was aqua and pewter). My favorite character was Peanut, Elise Penworthy’s puppy (he stole the show). His hijinks will have you laughing out loud. Peanut and Captain Jack are adorable together. The mystery was not complicated (unfortunately). Identifying the guilty party was child’s play. I thought it was clever how the author managed to work in a mention of an incident from the of A Hat Shop Mystery series. There are plenty of cozy moments in Wedding Cake Crumble with the family and friends coming together for Angie and Tate’s wedding. I am looking forward to Joe and Mel’s upcoming nuptials now that they have set a date. I am giving Wedding Cake Crumble 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). Jenn McKinlay has provided readers with an entertaining cozy mystery that they will delight in devouring as quickly as possible.
Wedding Cake Crumble is not a standalone novel. You need to read the other books in the series prior to picking up Wedding Cake Crumble. I thought the book was well-written and had a nice, steady pace. Jenn McKinlay has a writing style that draws the reader in and keeps their attention. The characters are well-developed and relatable. There is a nice mix of personalities and Angie’s brothers will have you in stitches. Marty is a unique character that has issues with his daughters and his girlfriend, Olivia Puckett. I was happy to see him stand up for himself (finally). Oz has come such a long way. From the descriptions provided, the cupcake tower he made for the wedding was beautiful (the color scheme for the wedding was aqua and pewter). My favorite character was Peanut, Elise Penworthy’s puppy (he stole the show). His hijinks will have you laughing out loud. Peanut and Captain Jack are adorable together. The mystery was not complicated (unfortunately). Identifying the guilty party was child’s play. I thought it was clever how the author managed to work in a mention of an incident from the of A Hat Shop Mystery series. There are plenty of cozy moments in Wedding Cake Crumble with the family and friends coming together for Angie and Tate’s wedding. I am looking forward to Joe and Mel’s upcoming nuptials now that they have set a date. I am giving Wedding Cake Crumble 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). Jenn McKinlay has provided readers with an entertaining cozy mystery that they will delight in devouring as quickly as possible.
March 23, 2018
Angie and Tate's big day is just.... well DAYS away. And I CAN'T WAIT. We the readers have been waiting for this day for years and years and I can't believe it's gonna happen. Can they get to the big day without any hiccups? Of course not! Mel and Angie find that the wedding photograph and friend has been murdered in his own studio. It turns out his murder is linked to the murders of a couple other vendors that Angie and Tate hired for their wedding.
I enjoyed the idea of a “mean girl” writer, making millions by publishing a book about all the crazy rich people and scandals that happened in her former neighborhood “The Palms”. It created an abundance of possible suspects and motives. I will say that I guessed the suspect right away, but that is probably because I read all Jenn McKinlay’s books and was looking for red herrings... or more likely it was a lucky guess.
Oz and Marty were more involved in this story and that made me happy. I didn’t think they were getting enough page tome lately. And like Mel kept saying, they are “her people”. I could always see more of Joe, but I thought it was fun that his brother Ray was a critical character. It would be even more fun to get to know more of his brothers as the series progresses.
I loved this book and had so much happy nostalgia. It makes me happy that Mel and Angie are accomplishing dreams and finding happiness. I’m a sucker for a happy ending. Now I just want to see Mel and dear Joe tie the knot!
Note: I received this free copy from Netgalley for an honest review. I have loved this series from the beginning and am an avid fan of this author, so I was excited about the opportunity to read this book before it was published!
I enjoyed the idea of a “mean girl” writer, making millions by publishing a book about all the crazy rich people and scandals that happened in her former neighborhood “The Palms”. It created an abundance of possible suspects and motives. I will say that I guessed the suspect right away, but that is probably because I read all Jenn McKinlay’s books and was looking for red herrings... or more likely it was a lucky guess.
Oz and Marty were more involved in this story and that made me happy. I didn’t think they were getting enough page tome lately. And like Mel kept saying, they are “her people”. I could always see more of Joe, but I thought it was fun that his brother Ray was a critical character. It would be even more fun to get to know more of his brothers as the series progresses.
I loved this book and had so much happy nostalgia. It makes me happy that Mel and Angie are accomplishing dreams and finding happiness. I’m a sucker for a happy ending. Now I just want to see Mel and dear Joe tie the knot!
Note: I received this free copy from Netgalley for an honest review. I have loved this series from the beginning and am an avid fan of this author, so I was excited about the opportunity to read this book before it was published!
April 30, 2018
It's wedding season at Fairy Tale Cupcakes as Angie and Tate prepare to tie the knot. Mel is thrilled that her longtime friends are finally going to be married, until people associated with the wedding start to die. That means Mel and the crew are investigating the murders, along with baking cupcakes for the launch party of a bestselling novel.
But things are not always as they seem at Fairy Tale Cupcakes, and when Mel finally starts to figure things out she has to make sure she finds the killer, before things go wrong in the wedding department.
The Cupcake Bakery series is one of my favorites in the cozy mystery genre. Mel and her crew are like old friends, so watching them prepare for prepare for Angie and Tate's wedding made for great reading. I loved the wedding part of this book.
In the mystery department I solved the puzzle pretty early on in the book. I hate to say the high body count took away from what I wanted to read about the most--the wedding.
Still, I enjoyed the tale and, as always, finishing this book left me waiting for the next book in the series. I do love the Cupcake crew, and can't wait to see what happens with them next.
I received a copy of this book from Penguin's First to Read program, but I also bought a Kindle copy to add to my collection. This is a series that I reread, as I love the adventures provided by Ms. McKinlay.
But things are not always as they seem at Fairy Tale Cupcakes, and when Mel finally starts to figure things out she has to make sure she finds the killer, before things go wrong in the wedding department.
The Cupcake Bakery series is one of my favorites in the cozy mystery genre. Mel and her crew are like old friends, so watching them prepare for prepare for Angie and Tate's wedding made for great reading. I loved the wedding part of this book.
In the mystery department I solved the puzzle pretty early on in the book. I hate to say the high body count took away from what I wanted to read about the most--the wedding.
Still, I enjoyed the tale and, as always, finishing this book left me waiting for the next book in the series. I do love the Cupcake crew, and can't wait to see what happens with them next.
I received a copy of this book from Penguin's First to Read program, but I also bought a Kindle copy to add to my collection. This is a series that I reread, as I love the adventures provided by Ms. McKinlay.
October 8, 2024
Possible SPOILERS*************OMG!!! I love Mel and Joe but really I don't know why I read this book. The series was so fun at first but each one just gets slower and bad. I think the problem for me is Angie. She has got to be one of the most whiny, self-centered, spoiled worst best friends EVER!! At least this time it makes some sense because she is getting married but someone makes some comment about being married even as the character knows that Mel is getting married this specific character talks to Angie like she is declaring the most special thing ever and both completely ignoring Mel. Mel finds dead bodies and and Angie cries & everyone "oh poor little thing" & everyone else is like "Mel you ok?" except for Joe of course. But Angie is supposed to be this tough chick with all these brothers. Give me a break! This will be for sure the last in this series for me.
And what's the big deal about Stan & her mom? She loves Stan and thinks of him as her dad. And they tell everyone but her. Poor Mel she gets absolutely no respect. Her & Joe should get married and live somewhere else and leave these people, buy out Tate (cause you know he's gonna make sure Angie gets all the perks and they probably will have a bigger take out of business). Just call them on holidays and birthdays.
And what's the big deal about Stan & her mom? She loves Stan and thinks of him as her dad. And they tell everyone but her. Poor Mel she gets absolutely no respect. Her & Joe should get married and live somewhere else and leave these people, buy out Tate (cause you know he's gonna make sure Angie gets all the perks and they probably will have a bigger take out of business). Just call them on holidays and birthdays.
April 21, 2018
Angie and Tate are getting married finally! But when Mel and Angie find the photographer dead and then their limo driver turns up dead as well, they wonder if someone is targeting them.
It is great to see everyone again. I do like Mel and Angie's friendship a lot. And Angie's family is a hoot. This was a fun read, but I knew who the killer was practically the moment we met them. I did love the addition of Peanut and the wedding was great.
It is great to see everyone again. I do like Mel and Angie's friendship a lot. And Angie's family is a hoot. This was a fun read, but I knew who the killer was practically the moment we met them. I did love the addition of Peanut and the wedding was great.
May 17, 2018
Another great mystery from the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series! As preparations gear up for Angie's wedding, Mel finds herself in the midst of dead bodies once again. The plot is multi-layered as the mystery is unwound and the personal lives of the characters once again becomes intertwined. Excellent plot with superb characters keep you entertained and engaged with the story!
December 2, 2018
"Here comes the bride," Melanie Cooper sang as she held a bouquet of multicolored snapdragons in front of her as if she were walking down the aisle.
Tate and Angie's wedding is finally here! Angie and Mel are confirming vendors when they discover the murder of the wedding photographer. Uncle Stan feels that Angie and Tate are in danger when other vendors turn up dead. The police along with the DeLaura brothers step in as bodyguards. Mel and Angie learn that a local author used the same vendors for her current book tour of a tell all book which has created lots of scandal. Now the question is if she is the target instead.
I love this series! I appreciate the strong friendship bond between Mel, Angie and Tate. Their movie quotes keep me in my toes and make me happy when I know the quote. The DeLaura brothers are a hoot. The tight bond of the whole family is well written and so well presented. And then there is Joe. Dear Joe. I am so happy that Mel has finally accepted his proposal and their wedding will be soon.
The bakery staff are more family than employees. I feel like I step into a loving home with every book. I can imagine Fairy Tale Cupcakes like it is in my neighborhood and I stop there every day. This is evidence of a well written story that it feels so real.
The mystery is good with a few twists and turns. The wedding is lovely. This is an excellent addition to the series that I read in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down.
I highly recommend this series.
Tate and Angie's wedding is finally here! Angie and Mel are confirming vendors when they discover the murder of the wedding photographer. Uncle Stan feels that Angie and Tate are in danger when other vendors turn up dead. The police along with the DeLaura brothers step in as bodyguards. Mel and Angie learn that a local author used the same vendors for her current book tour of a tell all book which has created lots of scandal. Now the question is if she is the target instead.
I love this series! I appreciate the strong friendship bond between Mel, Angie and Tate. Their movie quotes keep me in my toes and make me happy when I know the quote. The DeLaura brothers are a hoot. The tight bond of the whole family is well written and so well presented. And then there is Joe. Dear Joe. I am so happy that Mel has finally accepted his proposal and their wedding will be soon.
The bakery staff are more family than employees. I feel like I step into a loving home with every book. I can imagine Fairy Tale Cupcakes like it is in my neighborhood and I stop there every day. This is evidence of a well written story that it feels so real.
The mystery is good with a few twists and turns. The wedding is lovely. This is an excellent addition to the series that I read in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down.
I highly recommend this series.
March 30, 2018
WEDDING CAKE CRUMBLE, the tenth book in the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay is a delightful addition to her very entertaining series! I’ve been waiting on pins and needles from her release last year to find out what new escapades protagonist, Mel (Melanie) Cooper and her best friend, Angie DeLaura find themselves in. Ms. McKinlay does not disappoint and I was glued to the pages, even forgetting to take notes for my review! The story picks up with Angie getting ready to marry their friend, Tate, who is also co-owner of their Fairy Tale Cupcake Shop. But of course the wedding plans aren’t going smoothly, especially when the two women find Angie’s photographer murdered seven days before the wedding.
As Mel and Angie start looking into the murder (because they just can’t help themselves) the author throws in several twists. Could it be that Angie is actually the target? I love the cast of characters working at Fairy Tale Cupcake, especially octogenarian Marty. Mel and Angie have taken him in and made him one of “their people”. The friendship between Mel, Angie, Tate and the crew is admirable and heartwarming, bringing a sentimental note to the story. As the plot progresses many suspects come to light while the body count starts rising and more twists are thrown in. The ending wraps up the threads nicely while leaving the reader waiting to see what new adventure awaits the gang at the Fairy Tale Cupcake Shop!
Reading about the cupcake shop will leave you craving some sweet treats. Luckily for the reader, Ms. McKinlay provides several delectable cupcake recipes at the back of the book. All of them sound amazing!
I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As Mel and Angie start looking into the murder (because they just can’t help themselves) the author throws in several twists. Could it be that Angie is actually the target? I love the cast of characters working at Fairy Tale Cupcake, especially octogenarian Marty. Mel and Angie have taken him in and made him one of “their people”. The friendship between Mel, Angie, Tate and the crew is admirable and heartwarming, bringing a sentimental note to the story. As the plot progresses many suspects come to light while the body count starts rising and more twists are thrown in. The ending wraps up the threads nicely while leaving the reader waiting to see what new adventure awaits the gang at the Fairy Tale Cupcake Shop!
Reading about the cupcake shop will leave you craving some sweet treats. Luckily for the reader, Ms. McKinlay provides several delectable cupcake recipes at the back of the book. All of them sound amazing!
I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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